Compare towns
Olean vs Shrewsbury vs Olean
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Olean has the most affordable homes ($86k median).
Shrewsbury has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.8%).
Olean has the oldest population (median age 53.8).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Olean | Shrewsbury | Olean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 13,738Highest |
1,237Lowest |
1,664 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 39±2.6Lowest about the U.S. average |
42.3±5.6 9% above U.S. |
53.8±5.5Highest 38% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.5%±2.9 U.S.: 22% |
25.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.6%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Shrewsbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±5.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±5.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Olean and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
41%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Olean and Shrewsbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $51,261±$7kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$91,250±$23kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$74,583±$20k 8% below U.S. |
| Shrewsbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $86,100±$6kLowest 74% below U.S. |
$331,900±$52kHighest about the U.S. average |
$158,600±$17k 52% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $794±$52 44% below U.S. |
$1,438±$380Highest about the U.S. average |
$666±$334Lowest 53% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,130Lowest about the U.S. average |
$5,350Highest 72% above U.S. |
$4,027 29% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.4%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±25.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 26.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
16.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1962 18 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 45% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
19 min 30% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 8.4%±2.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
5.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Shrewsbury and Olean are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #337 of 484 in NY | — | #337 of 484 in NY |
| School district | OLEAN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT | Mill River Unified Union School District #52 | — |
| High school in town | OLEAN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.